This Distance Between Us
by ThemSoundWaves
Summary: It was unlike Rafael to distance himself from Team Prime, The Autobots could not argue with Rafael's call to stay away from the base. But what has him silent? Why would he deny a ride from Bumblebee? How did he end up in the hospital, and why won't he talk? Something's wrong, and whatever it is, it's tearing him away from Team Prime. *does NOT follow episodes slightly AU.*


**A/N Good morning guys! It seams I've been having random plot bunnies lately, because from those fuzzy rabits birthed this. **

**This is much like my other fanfictions in the way it's slightly AU, and focuses less on the autobots, and more on Raf and his family- but don't worry, this is a transformers fanfiction for a reason! You'll see the autobots soon enough, but for now it's nessessairy to keep them out of the loop. **

**I don't know anything about Rafael's family, so I've decided to improvise on some other fanfictions I've read about them. **

**Anyway, onto the story! And as always, review! I love to see your feed back! **

Chapter one: Weak.

_"To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength."_ _Criss Jami_

_His heart pounded, every muscle in his body protested as he pushed his small legs to their ultimate limit. His breathing was ragged, pained and wheezy, he wanted to stop to catch his breath... But the stampeding footsteps behind him eliminated those thoughts immediately. _

Beep, beep, beep.

_His glasses were gone, he could hardly see, his nose was bleeding from the speedy intakes that dried his sensitive skin. Rafael's arms pumped at his sides as if the motion would increase his speed. It didn't, and with a sickening since of realization, the orange haired boy knew he couldn't keep running much longer._

Beep, beep, beep.

_Sweat pooled by the collar of his shirt, under his armpits, his lungs began to sting, his steps began to falter. Several voices behind him caused his spine to shiver with fear. They were laughing._

Beep, beep, beep.

_The street before him broke off, and Rafael had not a second to think twice, he scurried over the white picket fence, into the barren wheat land, hoping the large lengthy stalks would hide him from his pursuers. He rushed in, hands first, smacking at the bristled plants that mauled his pale features. _

Beep, beep, beep.

_He _shouldn't_ have stayed after school, he _shouldn't_ have told Bumblebee to pick him up at six, he would have been fine, he _would_ have been. What had he done to irritate these men? _

_His breath, and thoughts paused when his foot caught on a dead stalk of one of the wheat plants. He connected with the ground face first. Dazed, his adrenalin had long since been depleted, therefore, Rafael didn't have the strength to push himself back onto his aching feet. He did however, manage to roll onto his back, and duck down into the plants for cover._

Beep, beep, beep.

_Hands pressed against his pale wetted face, the nearly blind boy muffled his uncontrolled breathing with both his shaking hands, he closed his eyes, and listened fearfully._

Beep. Be-

_"Over here!" A man hollered, the whistle of slashed grass broke through the throbbing sound of his heart pounding in his ears. _

_"Where did he go!?" A second voice responded, clearly male by the deep set tone, Rafael's body involtentairly shivered, though he was anything but cold. _

Don't move. Don't move, don't move, don't even breathe. _Rafael chanted in his mind, his shaking increasing with the sound of the heavy crunching nearing._

_He couldn't believe his own eyes, his own thoughts. He'd known the Autobots, and seen what they could do. Yet, when it came down to a gang of humans, murdering another before his own petrified brown eyes..._

_What had he _witnessed_? What had he _seen?

Beep, beep, beep.

_A dreadful silence enveloped the area around him, and for a second he thought they'd given up. A second, short lived. A piercing, sharp gunshot rang in his ears. the wheat before him bent to the side, a whistle. Something thudded hard enough into his shoulder to send him strait onto his back. He was numb for a moment, wondering what on earth had pushed him. And then, he looked to his shoulder, he was alerted, and confused when he felt no pain. His entire arm was dotted with fresh warm blood, he could feel the liquid trailing down to the nape of his neck, his breathing nearly stopped._

_He'd been _shot_._

_But before he could even accumulate a physical response, something grabbed his ankles. Rafael jolted with a pitiful cry, the movement bringing a new wave of unimaginable pain to his shoulder. _

Click-click_. _

_His face became white as chalk, as he stared up into the freshly loaded barrel of a silver and black handgun, the boney face behind the gun smirked. _

_"Get up and run now, boy." _

_Beep, beep, beeeeeep..._

Rafael's eyeslids cracked open, fresh light beamed into his sensitive eyes that caused him to heave out a groan. It took him a second to adjust to the piercing light. He gazed around, blinking to clear the stinging in his eyes.

He was in a hospital room, the realization cause the young boy to immediately relax his head collapsed against the plush pillows behind him, and he took a deep, somewhat sore breath to calm himself down. And finally, when his body had stopped its shaking, he surveyed the thick white blanket over his body, a lock of orange hair fell and blocked his vision, but Rafael knew better then to lift his damaged arm to push it away.

There was a click and the room's door opened, a familiar body shape entered his vision, yet, without his glasses he could hardly see the nurses features.

"Rafael? you're awake?" June Darby, he recognized that voice anywhere now a days. Rafael's body sagged back against the hospital bed, he couldn't trust himself to speak, not yet, his throat was still throbbing, so he settled with a small nod.

June looked completely relieved when she saw the battered boy nod in affirmation. It stung her heart just to look at him- his face was swollen, both his eyes black and blue, his nose had been broken and drained of blood, cuts and scrapes littered his tiny pale face. She'd never wanted to see this- something like this happen to anyone, let alone one of the children she'd been close to since the arrival of the autobots.

"How are you feeling?" June asked, as she hovered carefully to the edge of his bed, she checked the monitor that charted his heartbeat, then gingerly sat on the edge of the white blankets.

Rafael said nothing, and that all in its own was enough to worry the human mother into reaching out and taking his undamaged hand- and when she said undamaged, it was an understatement... When they found Rafael... It seamed not a single part of his body hadn't been injured in some way.

An ice cold thread of anger spiked through Junes body at the thought- who did this? Why? Why to such a defenseless boy? She forced the anger down as to not alert or scare the obviously traumatized patient.

"Rafael?" He looked up at her, through sullen, swollen eyes. And shook his head softly. The motion was clear to the nurse, he was still to shocked to speak.

"Bee's been worried." The nurse hummed in hopefully, praying to get a reaction from Rafael. It did, his eyebrows furrowed, and he croaked out.

"Bee?" June nodded, patting his arm. He was so cold compared to her, his skin felt like a bucket of ice water.

"Yes." She continued, knowing talking about the autobots would always work to settle his mind- it was the same way with her own son.

"He's been parked in the parking lot for three days-" at this, the boys eyes widened and he stilled.

"Yes, three days... When Bee got to the school, and you weren't there waiting, he freaked out." June managed a light chuckle, she gave Rafael's fingerjoints a quick rub.

"Optimus had to stop him from tearing the school down." A look of guilt hit the boys features, and his shoulders came up as if to shield him from the feelings he was having. Although he looked like knowing was the last thought on his mind, Rafael managed to say numbly. "What happened?"

"He was out searching all night. Bumblebee was." The nurse supplied, her tone heavy. "We had the police looking for you, Optimus even joined in the search... Around three in the morning an officer found you. Brought you here." Her hand came up to gently smooth back Rafael's messy hair.

"We were so worried, You've been out for three days. A lot of blood loss, broken bones..." She looked like she could have gone on, but forced herself to stop there. Although it was a paintents right to know the consent of their damages- June didn't think now was the time to exploit them.

Rafael opened his mouth to respond, but the door behind June opening, and the voices had him closing his mouth quick.

"Raf?" Jack questioned, as the boy slowly emerged into the room. "Raf! Your alright!" Came Miko's loud greeting, as she nearly pushed Jack out of the way to get into the room.

Rafael's face quickly flushed red. He didn't want them to see him like this- it was bad enough June had to, but them to? He was weak, broken, he couldn't feel his left leg and Rafael was sure his face looked like a beaten plumb. June seamed to have sinced his discomfort, because she shot the two teens a warning look, and ducked her head towards the door.

"Jack, Miko... Please wait outside."

"But Mrs. Darby! We've been waiting for days."

"Miko." Came the woman's strong, chiding tone. "I said. Outside." Jack, who understood the words clearly, grabbed the hyperative girls arm, and shook his head sadly, he pulled her from the room, not before casting a worried glance to the battered Rafael, who had refused to look at him.

When the door clicked closed behind the two teens, Rafael slumped, and tried to hide his face best he could beneath the blankets. He closed his swollen eyelids, and took a harsh breath.

"Mrs. Darby?" He questioned, wincing at how weak his voice sounded. He couldn't help but wonder~ was that the tone he used when he was pleasing for his life? When they decided to drag him across the...

"Yes, Raf?" June responded, successfully stopping his bad train of thought. Rafael couldn't find himself to look at her.

"When...when can I go home?" June looked a little suprised that he asked, but it was quickly gone as she lifted a notebook, and flipped through the pages effortlessly.

"Soon. Sometime this week." June sighed, she stood up and began to wonder aimlessly around the room as she spoke, as if she couldn't sit still with what she was going to stay.

"We've contacted your parents... They and your siblings have popped in a few times while you were recovering. They'll be here to take you home as soon as we get the clearance..." She trailed off, Rafael's face snugged deeper into the thin hospital sheets. His parents, what would they think of him? They never really noticed him- being the youngest of five, he went ignored. Don't get him wrong, they didnt neglect him, they were busy. But... Would they... Would they think of him as a disgrace? A troublemaker? Would they disown him?

Was it horrible to say... He'd rather have his parents see him, then the Autobots? Think of it... They've been through so much worse, and they recovered easily. Maybe it was because they were basically living machines with emotions... But Rafael felt like he should have been stronger, like Bee. When Megatron had traumatized the scout by using his mind and body... Bee was quick to come back to himself.

After what happened... Rafael didn't think he could amount to that, he didn't think he could recover. It was still so fresh...

June placed a hand on his shoulder as gently as she could, Rafael flinched involuntarily, inching his body away from the warm hand-embrace. He couldn't get it out of his mind... All he pictured was...

"You should rest." June inturupted his thoughts with her stern, but soft voice, Rafael could only close his eyes tighter. He nodded, then swallowed.

"June?"

"Yeah?" She answered questionably.

"Don't tell Bee." With that, the stress and tiredness took over, and his body once again gave into an immediate sleep.


End file.
